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Google's Chrome OS continues to show up on more and more devices, and while the majority of them are laptops, it looks like desktop users are going to have quite a few options as well. Joining LG's upcoming Chromebase all-in-one is the Asus Chromebox, a headless mini-PC that goes on sale in March for $179. At 4.88" by 4.88" by 1.65", it's similar to but slightly larger than Intel's more versatile NUC desktop in every dimension.

Despite its desktop-shaped package, the Chromebox is the same on the inside as many recent Intel Chromebooks, including the Acer C720. The base model includes a 1.4GHz dual-core Celeron 2955U based on Intel's Haswell architecture, integrated Intel graphics, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of solid-state storage, dual-band 802.11n with Bluetooth 4.0, and an SD card reader and Kensington lock slot. AnandTech reports that the Chromebox will also be available in higher-end variants with a 1.7GHz Core i3-4010U and a 2.1GHz (3.3GHz Turbo) Core i7-4600U and up to 4GB of RAM across its two DIMM slots. The Core i7 version apparently won't be available on American shores, though.

Enlarge/ In addition to the USB ports on the front, the box includes two more USB 3.0 ports on the back, one gigabit Ethernet jack, one full-size HDMI port, and one full-size DisplayPort.

Asus

The Asus Chromebox includes many of the features of Samsung's $329 Chromebox originally introduced in 2012 but at a substantially lower price. Samsung's model had more display outputs but lacked HDMI, and its Sandy Bridge Celeron CPU also needed a cooling fan that the Asus version doesn't need.

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Andrew Cunningham
Andrew wrote and edited tech news and reviews at Ars Technica from 2012 to 2017, where he still occasionally freelances; he is currently a lead editor at Wirecutter. He also records a weekly book podcast called Overdue. Twitter@AndrewWrites

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

These devices make excellent "thin client" terminals. You can throw an RDP client on them and off you go.

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

"Hey mom, you know how you are always having computer problems? ... and how you only use facebook, email and moderate web browsing?"

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

Chrome OS support should make this a better candidate for Steam OS than the NUC, since they are using an approximately mainline Linux kernel. Plenty of horsepower for streaming into it and should run casual games fine.

"Hey mom, you know how you are always having computer problems? ... and how you only use facebook, email and moderate web browsing?"

...and maybe Mom doesn't get around so well so you could hook this up to her TV along with a BT wireless KB and mouse and Mom could look at the great-grandkids pics on Flickr without getting out of bed?

As is, I think DSF1942 hit the nail on the head. This is almost the desktop equivalent of modern tablets. Want email, web browsing, and light productivity (via Google apps)? Bingo!

<Off-topic>For myself, I'm curious if the iGPU would be up to handling Steam streaming. This is the price point I would like to see on a Steam Machine so I can bring my gaming into other rooms without moving the rig.</off-topic>

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

The place to put it is behind your TV, the monitor is your TV, the keyboard with integrated pointing device is bluetooth and sits on your coffee table.

Yup, Openelec or a similar XBMC install and just keep all your media on a NAS with a bunch of drives. Either that or a digital signage machine, POS machine with a locked down, stripped down OS install or a thin client PC. Heck, I'd even use it as a console in a datacenter with a monitor and a bunch of USB hub additional ports for serial adapters and other interfaces you might need.

As is, I think DSF1942 hit the nail on the head. This is almost the desktop equivalent of modern tablets. Want email, web browsing, and light productivity (via Google apps)? Bingo!

<Off-topic>For myself, I'm curious if the iGPU would be up to handling Steam streaming. This is the price point I would like to see on a Steam Machine so I can bring my gaming into other rooms without moving the rig.</off-topic>

I'm in the Steam Streaming beta and if it supports video decoding offload it's pretty likely it will work fine, presuming you have a wired network connection or COMPLETELY AWESOME wi-fi.

I am wondering what, exactly, is the use case for such a device? I thought the whole point of Chrome OS was to be a lightweight OS for email and web browsing on portable devices, the quintessential "couch" device. I don't find that to be a compelling use case as my powerful laptop does that quite nicely, but I get that it might be attractive for others. But a little Chrome OS box that requires a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a place to put it? Maybe some other folks in this thread can enlighten me.

I've got a co-worker who, for some unknown reason, cannot get the citrix reciever to work on her apple -- which would allow her to work from home if she needed to. The other day, she asked me how much a PC was, so she could get one for the express purpose of working from home.

I've got a co-worker who, for some unknown reason, cannot get the citrix reciever to work on her apple -- which would allow her to work from home if she needed to. The other day, she asked me how much a PC was, so she could get one for the express purpose of working from home.

My browser lags already with the intensive use of javascript some sites do. And I have a core2duo at 2.0ghz.I'm sure chrome OS is a bit more lightweight, and this is a newer cpu architecture, but I have my doubts at how this would perform with 6 hangouts windows inside gmail plus facebook and 9gag on other tabs.

These are approaching being cheap enough to buy just to fiddle around with.

ChromeOS apparently supports OpenVPN and L2TP, and has SSH and RDP clients, so I could use one as a home terminal to remote in to work. (In addition to whatever other functions I found for it.)

My primary device (the one I'm on now) at work to manage my network/servers, etc. is a chromebook. They have good multi-monitor support, RDP client, SSH, etc... And they are freaking rock solid devices - I have never had a crash, slowness, or anything with this device.

My browser lags already with the intensive use of javascript some sites do. And I have a core2duo at 2.0ghz.I'm sure chrome OS is a bit more lightweight, and this is a newer cpu architecture, but I have my doubts at how this would perform with 6 hangouts windows inside gmail plus facebook and 9gag on other tabs.

I have a Core 3, 4GB chromebook and they are really fast machines. It can easily handle what you have going on. I usually have dual monitors, gmail, couple of hangouts, 6 - 7 RDP sessions and 20-30 other tabs open, and the thing just works...

My browser lags already with the intensive use of javascript some sites do. And I have a core2duo at 2.0ghz.I'm sure chrome OS is a bit more lightweight, and this is a newer cpu architecture, but I have my doubts at how this would perform with 6 hangouts windows inside gmail plus facebook and 9gag on other tabs.

I have a Core 3, 4GB chromebook and they are really fast machines. It can easily handle what you have going on. I usually have dual monitors, gmail, couple of hangouts, 6 - 7 RDP sessions and 20-30 other tabs open, and the thing just works...

It's interesting that an extra $30 will get you the Acer c720, a fully functioning chromebook with the same specs, but with a screen, a battery, a keyboard and a mouse. I feel like this chromebox could be priced even lower.

It's interesting that an extra $30 will get you the Acer c720, a fully functioning chromebook with the same specs, but with a screen, a battery, a keyboard and a mouse. I feel like this thing could be priced even lower.

Yeah, but its screen is not great and also it's 768p. The Acer c720 is probably has a really small profit margin.